Sarah Parcak

issued a dire prediction as she prepared to accept the TED Prize: if humanity doesn’t act quickly, important cultural history will be lost forever.

“We are at the tipping point with our cultural heritage, with everything we have seen, with ISIL blowing up temples and massive widespread looting in Iraq, Syria and Libya, looting in Egypt and in Central America,” Parcak said.

She wants to identify from space and protect on the ground the entire world’s cultural history.

At least it sounds simple.

But the recent rise in conflicts around the world, from Afghanistan to Iraq and Syria to Egypt, Libya and many other places, have led to an unparalleled explosion of looting and destruction of cultural sites.